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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23846356">Distracted Drabbles</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverandalwaysvictorious/pseuds/foreverandalwaysvictorious'>foreverandalwaysvictorious</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dynasty (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drabbles, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, dumb things my brain thinks of, home of inaccurate chess games because it's not about the game, things I write when I should be finishing other things</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:27:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23846356</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverandalwaysvictorious/pseuds/foreverandalwaysvictorious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The things I write when I should be finishing other works, but ultimately get distracted by other ideas. Prompts from a list I found on the internet.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kirby Anders/Fallon Carrington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. "The king is missing."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The king is missing,” Kirby said as she finished setting up the chess board. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she went back to check the box one more time for the missing piece. “We can’t play if we don’t have a full set of pieces.” She got up from her spot on the floor to continue her search.</p><p>“Well, we can find something to use as a placeholder until we can locate it,” Fallon stated even though she could tell Kirby was still determined to find the original piece.</p><p>“Did it fall out of the box somewhere? Maybe it’s still in the chest.” Kirby opened the large wooden chest at the foot of Fallon’s bed, digging through blankets, winter coats, and other assorted games, only to come up empty handed.  </p><p>“Kirby, it’s not like it changes the game much if we don’t have the exact king. Anything could be a king.”</p><p>Fallon reached along the ground to pull her purse towards her and rummage in it, before finding what she was looking for.</p><p>“Here.” She passed the item to Kirby. “This will work as a close substitute for now.”</p><p>Kirby reluctantly took the gold lipstick vial from Fallon’s extended hand and set it upright on the empty spot in front of her. She sat back down in front of the board, crossing her arms in thought.</p><p>“That can be your side.” She gestured to the two rows of black and one gold piece. “I want the full set of pieces.”</p><p>Fallon rolled her eyes at her girlfriend’s request but appeased her by rotating the board so she was stuck with the stand in king.</p><p>It felt like they had been stuck inside for months, even though it had only been a few days. Fallon had suggested the game, trying to give them something to do that was different than the variety of activities they had attempted and grown bored of. Anything was a welcome distraction to quell their anxieties, especially activities that made them focus more on the task than the weather conditions outside filled with wailing winds, sudden downpours, and continued tornado warnings. Fallon’s storm anxiety and Kirby’s cabin fever were proving to be quite the combination of emotions.</p><p>They quarreled about who should go first, Fallon making the argument that she was playing with minus one piece, Kirby saying she had the privilege of being the youngest of the two. After a quick coin toss, Kirby came out victorious and made the first move. They continued the game at a slow pace to try and stretch it out for as long as possible before they would ultimately finish and have nothing else to do again. It was about 20 minutes into the match during Kirby’s turn when Fallon removed her “king”, palming it in her hand.</p><p>“Fallon! You can’t remove the king from the board mid game!”</p><p>“I’m fixing my makeup since you’re taking so long to make a move. I just remembered I have a video conference with some clients soon.” She reached into her bag once again to grab her compact mirror, popping it open before twisting the tube to bring the dark maroon shade up from the casing to apply to her lips.</p><p>Kirby looked at the board, twirling a pawn in between her fingers as she debated her options, before looking back to Fallon, who was now in the process of delicately straightening up her eyeliner.</p><p>“I think I decided what move I want to make,” she stated. Fallon only acknowledged her with a hum of approval, now more focused on fixing her makeup than whatever Kirby was doing. She tapped her chin pensively looking at the board once again, the mischievous wheels in her head turning, before she leaned over the game to plant her lips on Fallon’s, purposefully smudging the newly applied lipstick as her kiss landed sideways.</p><p>Fallon’s lips parted in surprise as she turned to look at Kirby. “What was that for?” she playfully questioned.</p><p>Kirby shrugged, a small smile plastered on her face, coated in the dark makeup that Fallon decided was definitely not her color. “You just always look so pretty when you’re focused?”</p><p>“Well now I have to redo all my hard work, but I think it can wait a moment.” Fallon patted her leg as an invitation, allowing Kirby to crawl over the game and curl into the space between her legs.</p><p>“So, tell me about this client that you have to impress,” Kirby pressed, causing Fallon to launch into a speech about her latest business endeavor. Her eyes lit up with each new detail she presented. Kirby nodded thoughtfully as she listened, settling in deeper Fallon’s lap as they left the chess game forgotten on the floor.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. “I know this may be hard to believe, but I’m on your side.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I know this may be hard to believe, but I’m on your side.” The words echoed against the walls of the manor, causing the clicking heels hastily moving along the polished floors to abruptly stop.</p>
<p>Kirby whipped around to meet the face of the woman she was running away from. She had barely been back in Atlanta for more than a few days and had already had her share of confrontations with Fallon Carrington. Despite knowing she was not emotionally prepared for interacting with the daughter of the household, she still had wanted to move back into the manor as soon as possible. It had been over 10 years since they had last seen each other, when she was unceremoniously thrown out by the Carrington’s; Kirby watching from the back window of a cab as the home and a young Fallon shrunk into nothingness. It was a painful memory Kirby had tried to forget, replaying in her mind like a scene from a movie despite her attempts to shut it out.</p>
<p>The jealousy at the thought of the lavish life Fallon lived while she was exiled had bubbled up as soon as her plane touched down in the states. She had kept those feelings hidden beneath the surface until she found herself sneaking into the manor to steal Fallon’s clothing. It was definitely not her finest moment, but she didn’t think she would run into the woman at Monica’s club or that she would be arrested for her brash behavior. It had been a continuous pattern of bad luck that had seemed to follow her anytime the Carrington’s were involved. Now, the two women were in another standoff in the middle of the upstairs hallway, fortunately with less hair pulling and dress ripping than their last encounter.</p>
<p>“My side? When have you ever been on my side?” she exasperatedly laughed at the thought. “Weren’t you just calling the cops on me a few days ago?”</p>
<p>Kirby could see that Fallon was struggling to come up with a response, her eyes wide with the realization that she had no sharp retorts to throw out. A new rage burned in the redhead’s chest as old wounds were torn open.</p>
<p>“No one stood up for me when the fire happened. Everyone just assumed that I was the one who did it! Even my own father wouldn’t defend me because he didn’t want to lose his job!”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know any better! There were no witnesses besides Alexis!” Fallon frantically tried to defend her position in the situation. “We were just kids. You can’t be mad at me about that.”</p>
<p>Kirby couldn’t stop the words from pouring out as years of hurt and resentment rushed to the forefront of her mind, fueling her to continue.</p>
<p>“Interesting how you’ve always harbored this seed of hatred towards your mother, yet you still believed her for all these years. You didn’t think for one second that she had the capability to make up stories? Lie about what happened to make sure I wouldn’t spill her dirty little secret? It’s not like I even knew what was going on. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”</p>
<p>When Fallon didn’t interject, Kirby continued.</p>
<p>“Dirty Kirby.” She scoffed at the feeling of the words against her tongue. “Did you know everyone called me that? Or were you the ringleader of that stupid nickname?”</p>
<p>“Who said – “ Kirby waved Fallon off.</p>
<p>“Monica. I heard about it from Jeff, who is the only one who has been kind to me without me having to beg for forgiveness.” She crossed her arms, wishing she could sink into the floor.</p>
<p>“I never got a chance to defend myself. I was shipped away like a prisoner for a crime I didn’t commit.” Kirby hadn’t felt her eyes watering at first but could feel her throat close up as she had barely choked out the last of the words she had wanted to scream for ages. Any remaining anger had dissipated into sadness in the pit of her chest. She hadn’t cried about the event for years, but the emotions of the moment got the best of her. She forced herself to maintain her composure, looking down at the floor as tears threatened to spill over. There was no way she would let herself break down in front of Fallon right now.</p>
<p>When it seemed like Kirby had said her piece, Fallon broke the heavy silence, the words coming out barely louder than a whisper. “I’m sorry, okay?”</p>
<p>Fallon slowly walked closer to the other woman, closing the distance between them and trying to ease the tension that lingered in the air. When Kirby didn’t make an attempt to run away, she continued.  </p>
<p>“I’m sorry my poor excuse for a mother lied. I’m sorry she held my brain emotionally hostage that I believed her for all those years. Mostly, I’m sorry I let you go and never tried to contact you. We were always good friends and that was understandably soiled by the fact that I thought you tried to burn my house down.”</p>
<p>She brought her hand to gently rest on Kirby’s arm. “Can we start over, as friends? At least try to make up for lost time?”</p>
<p>Kirby lifted her head to look at Fallon. Her features had softened considerably, the tenseness in her brow evaporated. Her bright blue eyes still felt like they could bore straight into Kirby’s soul, which made her heart flutter after all this time away. She cleared her throat, making sure she could speak before asking for a favor.</p>
<p>“On one condition.”</p>
<p>The blonde waited patiently for her response.</p>
<p>“Let me raid your closet for any of last season's clothes?”</p>
<p>Fallon rolled her eyes, trying to hide the smirk that tugged at her lips. “Fine, but if we are to be seen in public together you are not wearing anything old. I’ll make you an appointment with my stylist for next week.”</p>
<p>Kirby smiled in response as she watched Fallon type away at her phone. “I will gladly accept that offer.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Today was an angst day. I was in a mood.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. “Ma’am, is that your dog?”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one had a mind of its own and took off. I blame the fact that all I could think about was a Zach Sang interview where Liz did a bit about meeting someone at a dog park.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Ma’am, is that your dog?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those words should have been the first sign that something was amiss, but Fallon was too involved in her phone to realize anything was wrong.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t someone who went to the dog park often, but the dog walker had been sick all week and her lovable bloodhound companion Bo was on the verge of destroying her house if she didn’t do something to let him release his energy. She had reluctantly loaded him into the backseat of her car, struggling to get him to fit through the small space between the seats that the two-door vehicle afforded. Getting him to sit obediently while she drove was another issue. He refused to stay put for more than a few seconds before he was distracting Fallon from the road. Settling his head next to hers, he attempted to lick her face as a thank you for the current car ride. After failing to keep his sloppy kisses at bay, she relented to opening a rear window to lure the dog away. Bo happily moved to put his head outside, letting his ears flap away in the wind as they continued their drive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They pulled up to the park 20 minutes later, where Bo bounded out as soon as the door was opened. Fallon struggled to gain control of him by his leash as he led the way from the parking lot. After locking the gate to the enclosed field, she unclipped the leash from his collar to let him roam free. She thought she had only looked away for a few seconds. Her phone had chimed, alerting her of an urgent work email that needed to be answered. She tapped out a reply rapidly before being inundated with two more and a series of text messages all related to her job. She sighed as she attempted to answer each one in a quick but orderly fashion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn’t heard the man call her at first, too lost in thought trying to tighten up the details of a report her interns were working overtime to finish. The tap on her shoulder brought her back to reality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me. Ma’am?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked up at the gentleman that now stood next to her, her eyes wide and lips parted from being startled from her current train of thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that your bloodhound over there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes followed the path of the man’s arm to see exactly where he was pointing. Across the large field of grass was Bo, gracelessly rolling in a mud puddle. He was on his back wiggling from side to side in a fashion that seemed like he was attempting to cover his entire body in the sticky substance. His limbs flopped around like a rag doll as he continued to haphazardly coat himself in wet dirt and grass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bo, stop it!” she yelled, frantically thanking the man for alerting her before running to try and lessen the damage her dog had already caused. He saw her coming and almost immediately rolled into a standing position, heavily panting with his tongue out, still letting his paws sink into the wet dirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the heck dude? Why can’t you just run around like the other dogs? How are we going to clean you up? You cannot come in the house like this.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if right on cue, he started to shake. It rippled through him from his head to his tail, flinging water and mud in all directions. Fallon threw her hands out to try and protect herself from the sporadic spray. When he was finished, the majority of the dirt had hit Fallon and a nearby white Samoyed who was beginning to sniff curiously at the same spot of mud Bo had previously played in. The droplets startled the other dog, who now backed away from the two who were covered head to toe in mud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After examining her outfit which would probably need more than a simple dry cleaning, Fallon looked up to see a tall, strawberry blonde walking towards her. She silently cursed realizing the woman was probably the other dog’s owner. Fallon prepared to apologize as the other woman got closer, feeling her face heat up in embarrassment at the situation and her overall appearance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! My dumb dog thought it would be a good idea to find the only spot out here that’s disgusting and bathe in it. I didn’t see your dog nearby!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman just laughed as she gathered her pet. “It’s alright. A little mud never hurt anyone. You’ll just need a quick bath when we get home, won’t you Leia?” She scratched at the dog’s head despite the droplets of mud that stuck to its once pristine, fluffy coat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two on the other hand may need a bit more than one rinse. I might have some towels in my car if you want to clean off. Maybe you can save your jacket?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fallon was already thoroughly flustered at her dog’s behavior, her current state, and now the woman that stood in front of her. She would hate to be rude and decline the stranger’s gesture. After looking at her outfit again, she decided to accept the offer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. I’d appreciate that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they walked to the parking lot, the other woman decided to fill the silence that settled over them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, I’ve never seen you two around. Are you new to the neighborhood?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fallon hated small talk, but did her best to be kind to the woman who was helping her. She could put up with a small amount of discomfort in the presence of her attractive company.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I usually have a dog walker take him out, but she’s been sick. He really needs two walks a day. I thought this would be the next best option, but you can see how that turned out.” She gestured to both the mess on herself and Bo. The other woman could only laugh again; the sound making Fallon’s heart involuntarily flutter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they reached the parking lot, the woman pulled her keys from her pocket and unlocked her car, the rear lights flashing in response as she pressed the button. She pulled two large pink towels from a cloth tote and passed them to Fallon. She did her best to wipe the wet mud from Bo and gently dab what she could from her clothes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you…” she paused realizing she never got a name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kirby,” she offered as she reached her hand out to shake Fallon’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fallon introduced herself in response, trying to ignore the nervousness she suddenly felt in the pit of her stomach from looking into the woman’s dark brown eyes. She broke the eye contact and the handshake almost abruptly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, thank you for being a lifesaver. We better get going so I can spray Bo down so he won’t track mud onto the carpet. Sorry about destroying your towels.” She gathered the soiled fabric in a bundle before she felt the other woman’s hands on her own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold on to them,” Kirby told her. She closed the trunk and picked Leia off the ground. “That way you can protect your seats on the drive home. You can return them to me later. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again at some point.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fallon thanked her again before gathering Bo and heading back to her car. “Now, what are we going to do about you?” she asked him, patting his still muddy head. He only panted in response.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It would come as no surprise that the following week, Fallon found herself at the dog park again. She cancelled the walker, insisting that she needed fresh air and wanted to spend more quality time Bo. The towels Kirby loaned her were promptly washed and folded upon her arrival back home the previous week, stacked by the door for the next time she ventured outside. They were now waiting in her car, ready for whenever she ran into the other woman. When they arrived at the park on Monday, she surveyed the park for Kirby or her dog while also making sure to keep a close eye on her bloodhound so as not to have a repeat of last week. After an hour, Fallon decided it was time to head home, gathering Bo and her belongings before heading back to the car.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next two days were the same. There was no sign of Kirby or Leia anywhere. Fallon would be lying if she told herself she wasn’t anxious to see the other woman again. She tried to convince herself she was only uncomfortable about accidentally stealing a stranger’s things. It shouldn’t be more complicated than that. But seeing the towels in the backseat of her car constantly reminded her of Kirby. There was something irresistible about remembering her smile and her laugh that it made Fallon’s stomach do somersaults.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On Thursday, Fallon was home later than usual due to a complication with a project. Even though all she wanted to do was take a nap and maybe watch some Netflix, she still pulled herself together to take Bo out. His energy levels were more controllable with their daily outings and she didn’t want to call her dog walker on such short notice. They arrived at their destination not much later. Bo promptly jumped up from the seat as soon as Fallon put the vehicle in park. His tail slapped against the seats in excitement and he anxiously whined to be let outside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay. I’ll get you out in a second. Calm down!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she was opening the door for Bo to get out, she heard her name being called and turned to see Kirby waving at her. She reached back inside to gather the stack of towels as she wrestled to keep Bo from running off. Holding the clean laundry in one arm while Bo pulled at the other was proving to be a difficult task. He pulled her off balance, tugging her across the lot towards the other woman and her dog. Fallon tried to regain control, but with only one hand to hold onto the leash, she was failing. He was persistently pulling her in pursuit of Leia. Usually, this type of behavior would scare other dog owners, but Kirby hadn’t moved or shown any signs of worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I brought your things back,” Fallon said as she handed over the towels. At that moment, Bo lunged forward causing her to trip into Kirby. He was so excited to play with the small dog that he had no control over what he was doing. The leashes were becoming tangled around both their legs, pulling them closer to each other as Bo now playfully chased after Leia. Fallon could feel her heart race as she was pressed up against Kirby, once again embarrassed by the mess her dog had caused. Kirby laughed and Fallon felt butterflies rise in her stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks. We were wondering when we would run into you two again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably not literally,” Fallon remarked and Kirby laughed again. She felt herself blush and went to focus on coaxing Bo to run the opposite direction to begin the untangling process.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have got to stop meeting like this,” Fallon said once they had managed to untangle the dogs from themselves and each other. “This dog is going to be the death of me, I swear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y’know, they have special leaders that keep dogs from pulling so much. Bo seems to have a lot of muscle. It would be better for you and him to invest in one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Being so close to the other woman seemed to have clouded Fallon’s usual judgment and made her a little bolder than usual.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well maybe you can show me.” The words were out of her mouth before she had stopped to think.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kirby raised her brows in surprise. “Are you asking me out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! I mean…. maybe, but not if you don’t want me to ask you out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s have these two run around a bit and we can talk? Get to know each other a bit more,” Kirby offered with a warm smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fallon nodded, slightly shocked that she had agreed. “Sure….sounds like a plan.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. "Does he hit you?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW for mentions of domestic abuse/violence</p>
<p>Bad moods bring out the angst in me. This started as a different prompt, but ended up working for two prompts on the list, so I just changed the dialogue to match.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kirby flipped through the channels on the television, looking for something to distract her from her growing annoyance. Everything she stopped on for more than a few seconds was just adding to her already bad mood. She sighed, running a hand through her hair as she looked at the clock on her wall. It was well after their agreed upon time, almost three hours at this point.</p>
<p>Fallon was late. Again.</p>
<p>Friday nights were their time to decompress from the week, usually with some take-out, wine, and a movie. They took turns hosting, but lately Fallon had insisted on having their nights in at Kirby’s place, claiming it was closer to her office and had better dinner options. The change in plans would have normally been fine to Kirby, if this strange pattern of behavior hadn’t also come with it. She was honestly starting to worry about her. Fallon was known for being punctual, even exceedingly early to any sort of appointments. She had once told Kirby that being early was being on time, and if you were right on time anywhere, you might as well be late.</p>
<p>Every week was a new excuse. The first time Fallon was late, she blamed it on traffic, which was reasonable. Kirby’s apartment was located in the center of the city and that compounded with rush hour commuters made the streets unpredictable. The next time, a client project meeting had run over time. This was another thing Kirby could understand as Fallon’s business was always her number one priority. After that, the excuses became increasingly more bizarre, even morphing into a combination of previous causes for delay. This was now the sixth time and Kirby was planning to confront her friend.</p>
<p>At 9 PM, the doorbell rang, startling her from the daze she had settled into while staring glassy eyed at the television. Kirby swung the door open to be met by the woman she was waiting for. She crossed her arms before leaning on the doorframe to block Fallon from entering.</p>
<p>“So what happened this time?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Sorry! I had to wrap up some last-minute things at work, then I drove back home to pick up the wine and didn’t realize there was an awful accident on the highway. I also forgot that James was coming home today. We haven’t seen each other much lately since we’ve both been so busy and I kind of lost track of time.”</p>
<p>Kirby still didn’t budge, seeming unconvinced by Fallon’s story.</p>
<p>“I brought your favorite from that sushi place,” Fallon offered, hoping it was enough to quell any suspicions.</p>
<p>The taller woman relented, pushing herself off the wall and opening the door completely to let her friend inside.</p>
<p>They made their way to the kitchen, where the brunette began pulling the takeout boxes out from plastic bags.</p>
<p>“Hey…you have something on your face,” Kirby mentioned, seeing Fallon better under the light in the kitchen. It had brought her attention to a purplish-blue mark on her cheek bone.</p>
<p>As if she knew exactly where the spot was, she touched her face. Kirby saw her wince slightly before she promptly removed her hand to wave her off. “I probably just rubbed my face after signing something. I’ll have to ask Allison to get me some better pens.”</p>
<p>“Well let me get you something to wipe it off then.” The redhead grabbed a paper towel and wet it under the faucet, just damp enough to clean the smudge.</p>
<p>“No! That’s okay. I don’t want to mess up my makeup.” There was panic evident in Fallon’s tone which was cause for concern.</p>
<p>Kirby frowned. “Fallon, you’ve been acting weird for the past few weeks. First, you only wanted girl’s night here, which you know I don’t really have a problem with, but this is the sixth week in a row you’ve been late. Is something going on? You know you can tell me.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. I’m fine. I’ve just been stressed about things at work. Let’s just serve the drinks and find a dumb rom-com to watch or something.”</p>
<p>“Well can you at least clean the pen off your face?” Kirby reached out with the paper towel again. “You don’t have to try and keep up appearances for me.”</p>
<p>Fallon sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as her head fell back to stare at the ceiling. “It’s not going to come off.”</p>
<p>“Would you care to explain why that is?” the redhead asked as she settled her hands at her hips.</p>
<p>“Trying to wipe it away is only going to make it worse.”</p>
<p>There was a short pause of silence before Kirby responded.</p>
<p>“May I?”</p>
<p>When Fallon didn’t resist, she brought the damp cloth to her face, gently pushing on the mark only to reveal a larger patch of bruising underneath her makeup.</p>
<p>The brunette looked away, trying to hide the tears that came to her eyes.</p>
<p>“Fallon…” Kirby pushed, “what happened?”</p>
<p>The air in the room felt heavy as she started to put the pieces together.</p>
<p>“Did someone hit you? Was it James? Does he hit you?”</p>
<p>Her questions were met with more deafening silence.</p>
<p>“God Fallon. I’ve seen you with enough bruises and scratches when we were kids to know this wasn’t an accident. I didn’t want to confront you like this, but now I need to. This is not okay. You’ve dated some poor excuses for men in the past and I’ve held my tongue, but I refuse to stand idly by and watch you get hurt.”</p>
<p>Silent tears streamed down Fallon’s face, and Kirby pulled her into a tight hug. They must have stayed like that for at least a minute before she let the other woman go, bringing her hands to hold Fallon by her shoulders.</p>
<p>“Hey, look at me.” Her gaze was met with watery blue eyes.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to figure everything out right now, but you are staying the night. We can figure out a plan in the morning, okay?”</p>
<p>She ushered her over to the main room before going back to the kitchen. Fallon made herself at home on the couch, wrapping herself in a nearby throw blanket while Kirby took care of arranging the rest of the food. After locating the remote, she found one of Fallon’s favorite comfort films and pressed play, the opening sequence of The Parent Trap filling the screen.</p>
<p>Once their meals were finish, Fallon curled up on the couch, laying on her head on the other woman’s lap. Kirby brought her hand to rest on her head, gently running her fingers through the soft brown locks. The two settled into a relatively comfortable silence despite the heaviness looming over them from their previous conversation. Kirby hated to think that Fallon had kept silent all this time. The businesswoman was exceptionally good at masking her emotions and rarely turned to others for help. She just wished she had picked up on her odd behavior sooner.</p>
<p>“Why am I so unlovable?” Fallon asked into the room about halfway through the film, breaking Kirby’s attention from the screen. Hearing those words caused her heart to sink. Fallon was brash and stubborn at times, but those traits didn’t make anyone undeserving of being cared for and loved.</p>
<p>“This isn’t your fault. You are so deserving of love.”</p>
<p>She heard Fallon heavily exhale through her nose as if trying to disagree with her statement without words. Pausing the movie to make sure Fallon was listening, she spoke again.</p>
<p>“Would you believe me if I said I loved you? Because I do. I care about you a lot Fallon.”</p>
<p>The statement hung in the air as she pressed play again.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Fallon’s eyes fluttered open and she tried to grasp her surroundings. The room was dimly lit with the idling Netflix screen on the TV. Not surprisingly, she was still in Kirby’s apartment and had dozed off mid movie. She assumed that the other woman, being too kind to disturb her, stayed in place as her pillow until she had succumbed to sleep as well. She reached out to grab her phone off the nearby coffee table to see that it was a few minutes to four in the morning. It was too early to wake up, but she wasn’t tired enough to fall back asleep. Fallon turned to look up at Kirby, her eyes lingering on the softness of her face in the dim light. After readjusting her body to a more comfortable position, settling her head to stare at the ceiling, she thought back to what Kirby had told her earlier. She had wanted to respond but didn’t want to complicate an already emotional night further. Now in the dark when no one else could hear her, she spoke, letting the words that still sat on the tip of her tongue free.</p>
<p>“I think I might love you too.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. "Are you like banned from all Taco Bells, or just that Taco Bell?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I started writing this before the current Taco Bell controversy, so this is in no way an endorsement of the company. Also funnily enough, a drabble about a birthday being published the day before my birthday.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m hungryyyy!” Kirby whined for what seemed like the fifth time in the past thirty minutes. Her arms wrapped around Fallon’s midsection, snuggling deeper into her side as she laid herself along the backseat of the car.</p><p>“You’re also drunk, tired, and are probably going to have a nasty hangover from all those tequila shots. I’ll make you something when we get home. Promise,” Fallon assured, running her hand through the other woman’s strawberry blonde hair.</p><p>“But it’s my birthday.” The muffled pout vibrated into Fallon’s stomach.</p><p>“It technically stopped being your birthday about two hours ago.”</p><p>“Nope. It’s my birthday as long as I am still awake. It doesn’t become tomorrow until we go to sleep.”</p><p>Fallon could only laugh at her girlfriend’s line of thinking. “Fine, birthday girl. What would you like your final meal of the day to be since you are so unappreciative of my offer to cook?”</p><p>“I’m not unappreciative. I just don’t want my birthday to end with you burning the kitchen down.”</p><p>Kirby wasn’t wrong. It was late and they were both tired from celebrating Kirby’s birthday in downtown Atlanta. Fallon’s normal difficulties in the kitchen would only be complicated further, especially if she got distracted by Drunk Kirby’s wandering hands.</p><p>“Well you have about twenty minutes to decide and only a few options to choose from since it’s so late, so you better think of something good.” She felt Kirby hum again, content with the answer she received.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The steady movement of the car along the highway had stopped, pulling Kirby awake from her hazy state.</p><p>“Where are we?” she asked, rubbing at her eyes with her palms, accidentally smearing what was left of her eye makeup.</p><p>“Taco Bell. A sad excuse for food in my opinion, but I will appease you for tonight.”</p><p>She pulled away from Fallon abruptly, sobering up enough to take in her surroundings.</p><p>“You’re the one who suggested it. Why are you being weird?”</p><p>Kirby gulped, remembering the last time she had set foot in a Taco Bell. Memories of other drunk nights suddenly flooded her mind. She didn’t want to spill the details to Fallon, so she came up with an excuse.</p><p>“I think the alcohol is affecting me more than usual. How about I give you my order and you just get it for me? Please?”</p><p>“We’re just going to drive through and grab it. You’ll be fine. Plus, I know nothing about what this “fine dining establishment” has to offer. You seem to already be an expert at it,” Fallon said, waving off Kirby’s faux concerns.</p><p>As the window rolled down, she felt the crisp night air hit her flushed cheeks. The crackle of the drive-thru speaker startled her as they pulled forward before a person’s voice broke the stillness of the night. Kirby pushed herself to lean closer to Fallon’s side of the car, timidly placing her order, before pulling herself back into her seat. She didn’t need to look at the menu, knowing her go-to meal of a Crunchwrap Supreme Combo from memory.</p><p>Her voice might have been a dead giveaway. There couldn’t be very many Australians that traveled or lived in Atlanta. She shrunk into her seat, hoping the employee manning the window wouldn’t recognize them, but it was really hard to go anywhere without being noticed when Fallon Carrington was your girlfriend. The workers tried to make small talk, which Fallon kindly acknowledged. Kirby had suddenly forgotten how to speak. Luckily, she didn’t seem to be recognized for her previous transgressions at the establishment. Money was exchanged for a greasy, brown paper bag that Fallon promptly passed off to her. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until they pulled away and the window was rolled up.</p><p>“Kirb, are you good? You’re practically sweating.” Fallon’s voice brought her out of her own head. “I knew all those shots were a bad idea. Please do not puke in here.”</p><p>“Wha…? Yeah I’m fine…it’s just…” She stopped herself from continuing her statement further.</p><p>“Just what?” Fallon pressed.</p><p>After taking a pause to collect herself, Kirby tentatively spoke up. “I might have been thrown out and asked to never come back the last time I was here. I was sweating bullets thinking they were going to recognize me.”</p><p>Fallon shrugged. “Nothing I’m not used to. I’ve had my fair share of forced removals. Next time we’ll go to a different one.”</p><p>Kirby’s reluctance to reply grabbed her attention.</p><p>“What? Are you like banned from all Taco Bells, or just <em>that</em> Taco Bell?</p><p>“Y’know it’s been so long that I actually don’t remember….” Kirby replied, feigning ignorance.</p><p>“Kirby…”</p><p>“Okay. Maybe all the restaurants within the Atlanta area are off limits to me,” she sheepishly replied.</p><p>“How do you get banned from an entire fast food chain?” Fallon asked in amazement.</p><p>“My party days were a bit wild. That’s why you were the designated Kirby wrangler tonight, so I didn't completely get out of control.”</p><p>“Based on what I saw tonight, I guess I can’t be too surprised,” Fallon conceded.</p><p>“I won’t push the issue tonight,” she continued, “but I am interested in hearing more of these stories. I can only imagine what kind of trouble you got into. Now, enjoy your food Taco Bell thief, because you are going straight to bed when we get home.”</p><p>“And Happy Birthday,” she punctuated with a kiss to Kirby’s cheek.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. “We’ll need to take a blood sample to be sure"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was working on this earlier and just never got around to finishing it. Consider it an accidental companion fic to Small Bump.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fallon sat anxiously in the reception area waiting to be called back for her appointment. She had brought some work things to help her pass the time, but she could barely focus, finding herself rereading the same sentence of the contract on her lap while trying to distract herself from her running thoughts. Every time the large door leading to the rest of the office creaked open, she lifted her head in anticipation of her name being called.</p><p>“Mrs. Carrington?”</p><p>The sound of her name drew her from spiraling thoughts and she quickly organized the mess of materials on her lap to follow the nurse into the office. Doctor’s offices were one of the top ten things Fallon hated and she was reminded why as they pass by nurses’ stations and elaborate diagrams of the human body posted on the walls. They had to take her blood pressure three different times to get an accurate reading, her anxiety about her health and the upcoming visit only making matters worse. Once her vitals were assessed and input into the computer, she was led to the exam room and left alone with the promise that the doctor would be with her shortly.</p><p>“We’ll need to take a blood sample to be sure, but it sounds hopeful from everything you’ve described so far. Let me call a nurse.”</p><p>The three drug store tests she had taken all pointed towards positive with their various lines and plus signs; she had almost cried when she saw the results. She had wanted to tell Kirby when the familiar feelings of lethargy and nausea crept in the week prior but was able to chalk it up to work-related stress and quell any suspicions her wife may have had. They had been in this position before, only to have everything end in utter devastation. It had taken a few months for Fallon to recover and be ready to try once more. She couldn’t bear to get anyone’s hopes up again when the entire process was so fragile.</p><p>Now that she constantly felt on the edge of puking at the mere sight of her favorite foods, she knew it was time to seek out her physician to confirm what she was almost certain was true. The nurse arrived with all the materials, prompting Fallon to roll up her sleeve to allow access to her arm. After two vials were filled, she was patched up and led back to the waiting room.</p><p>“We’ll call you when we have the results Mrs. Carrington,” the nurse told her with a gentle smile. All she could do now was hope and wait.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Kirby knew Fallon wasn’t feeling well when she woke up that Saturday morning and the other woman was still curled tightly in the sheets. Even on the weekends, the brunette was awake and out of bed by 8 AM, while her counterpart could sleep for much longer. She had seemed out of sorts all week and Kirby had tried not to press, knowing that she would be on the receiving end of whatever complicated emotions the businesswoman was trying to process. At least now she looked at peace, her features softened by sleep.</p><p>When the clock on the bedside table neared 9 AM, Kirby decided it was in her best interest to try and rouse her partner. Fallon might be upset that she let her sleep in, but it seemed necessary for her wellbeing. She had barely moved from the ball like shape she had rolled into, so Kirby gently cuddled into her back while placing a soft kiss on her cheek. The touch of the other woman caused her to stir, and she let herself relax back into Kirby’s embrace.</p><p>“Wake up sunshine,” Kirby softly teased. “It’s almost 9.”</p><p>She heard Fallon whine in response while turning to face her without even opening her eyes. Her head found its way to Kirby’s chest as she burrowed into the sheets once more.</p><p>“You’re still not feeling well?” Kirby asked, feeling Fallon nod in response.</p><p>“I just feel gross all over,” the muffled voice vibrating against her body.</p><p>“Do you want me to get you some tea?”</p><p>“Mmm in a bit. Just stay with me right now?”</p><p>“Of course.” She laid her arm over Fallon’s and let her eyes close once again.</p><p>Just as they were both about to drift back into dreamland, Fallon’s ringtone startled them and she sat up, reaching across the sheets to grab her phone. Seeing her doctor’s name at the top of the screen, she swiped to answer the call.</p><p>“Hello?” she said into the receiver, much weaker than she expected.</p><p>“Hi, Mrs. Carrington? We received your blood work results. I am excited to tell you that you are indeed pregnant.”</p><p>Tears welled up in her eyes and she saw Kirby’s brow furrow in concern. She wished she could tell her that she wasn’t crying out of sadness, but the feeling of joy that washed over her at that moment was also compounded with the fear that things could easily take a turn for the worst. She took a deep breath, clearing the lump in her throat that was trying to form.</p><p>“Okay. That’s great news. What happens next?”</p><p>She laid out the details for her next appointment before hanging up the phone, letting it fall into her lap.</p><p>“Hun, what’s wrong?” Kirby scooted on the bed closer to Fallon and cupped her cheek and a thumb brushing at the tears that were starting to fall.</p><p>“Please don’t be mad at me,” she pleaded before going into her explanation. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to be wrong. I took some tests and I went to the doctor...” she paused. “I’m pregnant.”</p><p>“Really? Oh my gosh, babe. I’m so excited!” Fallon was almost knocked over with the force of Kirby hugging her as she squealed in delight. She let her have her moment of joy before interrupting with reality.</p><p>“I’m scared. What if we lose the baby again?” They had gone through this once before and she wasn’t ready to experience a second heartbreak.</p><p>“We just have to be prepared this time. We’ll take it slow, but I’ll be here for you no matter what, okay?”</p><p>Fallon nodded as Kirby pulled her into another hug.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>They took the beginning of the pregnancy one day at a time, Fallon strictly following doctor’s orders and recommendations, even when they interfered with the life she was used to living. She cut down her work hours, filled her time with more leisure activities and less stress.</p><p>Normally Kirby’s eagerness to please would get on her nerves, but Fallon appreciated the amount of care she was putting into the smallest of tasks. She was being spoiled beyond belief, getting breakfast delivered to her in bed, barely having to lift a finger as chores were magically finished around the house.</p><p>They waited until the second trimester to break the news to their family and friends, knowing that they couldn’t hide Fallon’s growing belly forever, even if they wanted to. In classic Carrington style, their family was eager to plan a huge party, but the couple was able to talk everyone down from their initial excitement. They decided a larger celebration could be planned later once the baby was finally there.</p><p>9 months seemed to fly by, the time filled with moments of joy and worry. Soon they were at the hospital, ready to welcome their baby girl into the world. She was stubborn, much like the mother who carried her, multiple hours passing before piercing cries filled the room to announce her entrance. After being carefully cleaned and examined, she was in Fallon’s arms, cuddled close against her chest to be peppered with kisses by both her parents. A parade of visitors come to follow in the next 48 hours, everyone taking turns with the child, congratulating the couple on the new addition to their family. They stay around until mother and baby are much too tired for further company.</p><p>In the still of the night, Fallon stirs, unable to sleep more than a few minutes at a time in the unfamiliar setting of her hospital bed. She turns to her left to see Kirby passed out on the sleeper sofa, their newborn still tightly swaddled in the bassinet right by her side. All she can do in her exhausted state is smile and admire the view before her eyelids start to droop shut once again. She falls asleep dreaming of the future she never thought she would see, the new life they will all have together.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I keep reading a lot of things about how fic compilations like this are annoying to readers and I should be posting everything as its own one shot and just adding to a collection? I feel kind of weird tossing the whole thing out to get more individual hits and kudos, but I guess it also makes it easier to bookmark your favorites? What do you all think? Let me know your thoughts!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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